


Day 335

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [335]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27828412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [335]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 335

Meredith was shaking with rage. The elves, the guards, the Champion, all of them were conspiring together to erode her authority and shelter maleficarum hiding out in the city. Even some of the nobles were taking their side. Every day it seemed like there was a new magical catastrophe that put the people of Kirkwall in danger. Meredith had half a mind to leave Kirkwall to its fate at this point, but that was not the oath she had taken in the eyes of the Maker. She was not sworn to defend the people of Thedas from the dangers of magic ‘so long as it was easy and appreciated.’ The truly noble work was never appreciated, the righteous walked a dark path but they could not falter no matter how difficult the obstacles were.

She would never admit it, but she was also afraid. If it was indeed Hawke conjuring the wall of ice, his power was incredible. Much greater than any mage she had ever met. If it came to a one-on-one fight between them, she was not sure who would emerge the victor. If he was able to call on the guards to support him, he might even be a match for the entire templar garrison. She had considered calling on the Divine for aid but the rumors surrounding the newly elevated Justina V did not give her confidence she could rely on the Chantry to take the hard line required to crush the mage resistance.

She was entirely surprised to have Lord Regner come calling with a proposal. It had been a trying time for Meredith recently so she called Captain Cullen and Elsa for support to the meeting.

“Withdraw your troops from the Alienage,” Lord Regnar said, “Give the elves three days to turn over any mages still hiding in the Alienage and support my bid for the Viscount’s throne and I will remove Aveline from office immediately. I can appoint one of your templars as an interim Captain until we find a suitable replacement and we can return this city to order. The Champion is popular but after this it will be hard for him to argue he had the best interests of the city in mind. Kill or capture him at your discretion.”

“Aveline is a force for order and stability in the city, Elsa said. “I cannot predict what the consequences of removing her will be. Currently she is an aggressively neutral party, like the Grand Cleric. However, eroding the Champion’s support in the city will lead to a far less violent confrontation. We have no evidence of blood magic used by the Champion. The overall destruction caused by his continued freedom will be less than if he resists capture.”

“And although we are well within our rights to apprehend an apostate,” Cullen added, “the current political situation makes it difficult. The Champion had acted in defense of the city in the past, even against other apostates. We risk losing what little support we have from the people if we imprison or kill him.”

“I hope you have an alternative suggestion,” Meredith said.

“As I said the Champion had acted against apostates in the past. Last year, his mother was murdered by a maleficar. If we could convince Hawke to be our ally, to help us root out the mage underground, we would be seen as the reasonable side. We would be acting in cooperation with a mage that could be held up as an ideal. One who uses his gifts to serve. If we force a fight...” The Knight Captain trailed off. Meredith knew better than to press him, he knew as well as she the worst case scenario when facing maleficarum.

“We will support you Lord Regner,” she said to the noble. “You need not remove Aveline immediately, but if it seems she is acting against the interests of Kirkwall or the Chantry that is a path we may need to walk. We must be cautious, lest the forces arrayed against us join forces.”

Meredith never hoped that misfortune would befall innocents but if the elves would continue to refuse to cooperate with the templars it was only a matter of time before a blood mage or abomination ravaged the area. She would be ready when it happened and then they would open their gates to her gladly, or they would perish.


End file.
